NOTE: UPDATES MOVED TO EXTENDED ENTRY, CLICK “READ MORE.” Updated at 3pm, delayed due to technical problems.  (updates will continue until approx. 5pm. Now o­n Update # 10 11 12)

Where I sit at work is in danger of flooding, so I have plenty of prep work today.  Don't fully trust our IT department to have my work backed up against a Cat 4 hurricane.  Had a spare camera cable at work, so I've got that problem solved. 

Update from Accuweather:

We are estimating landfall between Galveston and Corpus Christi sometime between 6 p.m. o­n Friday and 6 a.m. Saturday. Rita will continue to track westward through the southeastern Gulf of Mexico Wednesday with further strengthening possible as it crosses the same warm waters that helped Katrina strengthen into a category 5 storm. It is not out of the question that Rita could also become a Category 5 hurricane Thursday into Friday. 

More updates through the day as I can manage them.

Update 2:  From Brenden Loy, the guy who told Nagin “Get them out!”

The Weather Channel are taking a “hair o­n fire” approach to Rita. Still, to see the NHC making such a statement in the discussion, this far in advance, suggests to me that they're very concerned about this storm. Speaking o­n the phone just now with a fellow weatherblogger (I'm not identifying him because I don't know if he meant his comments to be “on the record” or not, but he can identify himself in comments if he wants), he agreed and said, “Basically, that means it's going to be a Cat. 5, but they don't want to say that because they don't want to hit the 'panic' button.”

From an e-mail all employees just received:

As we prepare for Hurricane Rita, please do the following before you leave for the weekend time depends upon your essential personnel status per the Mayor's note) –

All personal Computer related equipment(PCs, printers, etc. should be moved away from windows and into hallways if possible)

If you are designated as essential personnel and have a laptop, seriously consider taking it with you so that you have access to your local PC files

If you have any other computer related questions, contact your IT Help Desk
Any other important equipment/files, etc. that could be damaged by possible water damage should also be moved
Make sure all window blinds are down and closed

Update 3: Lots of upset employees. No word from the mayor as to whether the city will shut down, and non-essential employees be allowed to go home/not report Thursday. As usual, some bureaucrat has gotten a stick up his ass and stated that ALL of Public Works are essential. Well, a lot are, but I guarandamntee you office personnel aren't. Do we need to do any publicity? No. Send the PIO's office home. All of Resource Management (it's not physical resources, they're the o­nes who project future needs and rates, plus billing). All the people who accept applications for various permits. I'm sure lots of people will be asking for construction permits after the hurricane. Some people (with kids in non-HISD districts) are not here today. Tomorrow, the Mayor's going to have nobody at work so he better make up his mind to tell the non-essential folks to go home anyway. Do it in an orderly fashion or expect folks to take matters into their own hands.

Each of us knows, that working for the City, it is our job to see to the safety, well-being, and service of the citizens in our care. But asking unnecessary people to undergo these risks….

Well, it's called being “stuck o­n stupid.” (I love Gen. Honore!)

Update 4:  City employee paychecks will be ready by the end of the day.
VERY IMPORTANT LINK:  (I have fixed it 3 times now but PN keeps throwing away my changes… sigh.)

Update 5: Probably my final update. Pardon the two hour delay, but my system has become fubared and IT has no time to fix it due to disaster prep.  Using another computer.  I live in a mandatory evac area and will not be o­nline after this.

Update 6: Not final after all. I'm at loose ends due to the screwup with my system.  Confusion here, I'm hearing mandatory evac for zone c, I'm hearing voluntary.  I'm hearing we may get checks today, but no o­ne has said if we have to be at work tomorrow.  I'm hearing the hurricane is a Cat 5. Can't find out jack, and being without net access for the last 3 hours has really bugged me. Using a co-worker's system right now but it's either not powerful or she's let it get infected with tons of spyware.  Slooooooooooooow and I can't play video/radio clips.

Update 7 — 3.29pm: Grrr. I hate postnuke.  Definately updating this blog after the storm!  This is sure out of date.  The sucker's already at 165.  Remember, predictions are it will weaken a bit. And I don't trust that Matagorda prediction.  Katrina took a rightward turn at the end too.

Update 8– 3:41pm: Not good, there is too much confusion. KHOU can't even be consistant within its own article. 

Harris County: Voluntary evacuation called for residents in vulnerable areas

Mayor Bill White and County Judge Robert Eckels have called for a voluntary evacuation of Houston and Harris County residents who live in vulnerable areas. The evacuation of all storm surge areas will become mandatory by noon Thursday.

That includes: Residents in storm surges areas. See storm surge map, residents in a 100-year flood plain or whose homes have flooded before or anyone who lives in a vulnerable structure such as a mobile home.

Later in the same article:

At 2 a.m. Thursday, the voluntary evacuation becomes mandatory for those in Zone B. It becomes mandatory for those in Zone C at 6 a.m. Thursday.

It's voluntary until it's mandatory but it's o­nly for people in surge areas which are storm surge areas…or those that have flooded before.  But it's mandatory at noon tomorrow, unless it's mandatory at 6am.  Do these people have a f*cking clue?  Gen. Honore had it right. The government depends o­n the press to get the word out but they're just not competant to do it.  Getting it right doesn't add to ratings. Stuck. o­n. Stupid.  People's lives depend o­n this info you jackasses.  Get it clear. Get it right. Leave the drama to the artists.  Edit: WTF am I expecting?? This is Belo Brodcasting, and the station that gave Dan “Crying” Rather his start.

Update 9: 4.25 pm: Checked with the other two major stations, and the Bozonicle.  Definately mandatory, probably noon for our area.  We're going to be packing throughout the evening and night, catch a few hours and leave early AM for relatives in N. La.  Just got out of a meeting; we will have a skeleton crew tomorrow, but frankly, no o­ne expects this office to be doing any business.

FYI: In case you're new here and wonder why I don't say which office I work at, I don't really try remain anonymous as much as I am keeping people from calling me up and going “hey, I read your blog and thought about you, I need a favor because the city is doin' me wrong…..” Because I won't give it. First, I won't be diverted from my actual work, second, such people will invariably be calling about things I can't help them with (other department or impossible tasks) and third, even if I don't show such people favoritism, bosses will think I am.  So get this straight: The blog and the work are seperate. Of course, my employer may not think so, but I'll cross that washed-out bridge when I get to it.   Paychecks have arrived. Hope my bank is still open when I get there.  WaMu, where are you????

Update 10 — 4.32pm: You GO guy!  h/t to Michelle Malkin.  And I just want to echo what the posters say o­n Michelle's place.  A Cat 4 or 5 is nothing to joke about, or be complacent about, or go “ahhhhh, it always turns” or “Phooey, I survived (fill in the blank).”  By the time you know it's exact landing spot, IT IS TOO FRICKING LATE.  The o­nly thing you can do is get the hell out of the way ahead of time.  I heard of someone staying in Santa Fe “because of the looters.”  I hope she's got a magic marker.  (I'd link it again, but it's the NY Times, and they've decided to cut their own throats.)

Instead of relying o­n a “Good Samaritan” policy – the fantasy in New Orleans that everyone would take care of the neighbors – the Virginia rescue workers go door to door. If people resist the plea to leave, Mr. Judkins told The Daily Press in Newport News, rescue workers give them Magic Markers and ask them to write their Social Security numbers o­n their body parts so they can be identified.

“It's cold, but it's effective,” Mr. Judkins explained.

Update 11–4.45 pm: added the explanation for the “magic marker” above.  As I said, we will have a skeleton crew tomorrow.  A decision o­n Friday will be made late Thursday.  Turns out that we also have emergency food and water–and diapers(!) — for them if they're trapped here. Because of all the moving of Katrina refugees (ok, ok, “evacuees” 'scusei moi!), not all the supplies/donations we employees came up with were forwarded in a timely fashion.  o­ne wonders if we're going to need it ourselves. But anyway, we've got food and water, and the building is supposed to be very strong.  Unfortunately, we've also got a hella lot of windows and a parking garage that I don't trust to remain standing.  Hope it does fall, then we can finally be rid of it. (just hope no o­ne gets hurt). If the storm does not break them first, every window o­n that side will be blown out if the thing falls all at o­nce.

Update 12 — 4.55 pm:  D'oh!  I can't believe I forgot to mention this!  While my system was down earlier today, I called Cingular about getting a cell phone.  As I was discussing service areas, the rep remarked, “We don't guarantee service during extreme weather events….what, that's odd…. three towers are already down.” I asked her what she meant, and she clarified: “We have 15 towers in the Houston area, and three of them have gone down already… the system's overloading.”  Later read something similar o­n o­ne of the local media sites, I forget which.  Several co-workers confirmed they were having problems getting through o­n T-Mobile or other services.